I will always remember the dogs of Sayulita. The first night we were there, I had a dream that I was crowned "Queen of the Dogs" in the town. Everywhere we went, we saw dogs running, playing, sleeping, enjoying life. I kept thinking, over and over again, what a great life it would be to be a dog in that town!
Most of the dogs we saw were clearly with someone, but sometimes they were just wandering. But they had collars and appeared well cared for, and were friendly and curious and eager to make friends. They played fetch with a variety of objects on the beach - begging their owners (or anyone else close by) to throw their "toys" (sometimes a water bottle, sometimes a coconut husk, sometimes driftwood, sometimes something unidentifiable!) into the ocean and then they would bound into the waves, joyfully playing with the surf, to catch the item and eagerly bring it back to start all over again. I couldn't help but grin as I watched!
When we walked from our house to the beach, we passed a villa which had a small hole in the fence, around which were the words "Sayulita Chihuahuas" (well, at least that's what it was supposed to say, misspellings and unnecessary apostrophe aside) - we all assumed it was a drainage hole for the rainy season. On the day before we left, I was walking back to the house on my own - and as I came up the hill, I saw a little face peeking out at me through that hole, and the true purpose of the opening became clear! I felt as if I had been given a gift, to see the darling puppy who then patiently waited for me to get my camera out and take a picture, before he popped back inside.
Later than same night, we were walking along the beach in the moonlight - beautiful, BTW - and I said hello to a dog with a slight limp. He apparently liked my greeting, as he stuck with us as we walked from the beach into town, and then up the hills to our house, and then he dashed into the garden and made himself quite comfortable under one of our deck chairs, as if he lived there and would never consider leaving! Eventually I picked him up and carried him back out on the street, but it was heart-breaking (for me -- the others were laughing at me!) to put him outside and then listen to his whimper as he tried to get back in with me. But he, too, had a collar and was well-fed, so I knew he would make his way safely home.I have had people tell me that if reincarnation is real, they want to come back as one of my dogs - but now, I think I would chose to come back as a Sayulita dog. Life, for them, is always a beach party.
1 comment:
I went to Sayulita two years ago and loved the slow, slow life. The dogs did not seem to be starving, which I always worry about when I see strays. A woman in one of the stores told us that the government sends around a vet once or twice a year to spay or neuter the stray dogs. Don't know if it's true or not, since that seems to be better care than children get there. We saw them working in daytime in stores in town. We were told that public schools exist, but that they cost money, more than poor families can afford.
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